LT2300

I have a '69 roadster. The entire front end fiberglass was destroyed two years ago. It's been fixed (beautifully, by Midwest Corvette, Manahattan, IL -- I'd attach pictures if I could figure out how, but that's another story). Since the fix I've been playing with the hood latch positioning, trying to get the hood to stop unlatching when I go over an unexpected bump. It's been one side, then the other, then sometimes both --very frustrating and irritating.

I thought I finally had it Sunday, until I got home and found that I couldn't get it unlatched!

The left will unlatch, but not the right. Both cables (handle to left latch and left to right on the hood) are new and connected.

I've looped a cord over the lever on the left latch (which works the mechanism to activate the right latch) and tried a number of things such as pulling the hood slilghtly to the left or pushing toward the right. I've also jacked it up to varying degrees from several locations, left, right and front, thinking a little bit of body flex might do the trick. Nothing has worked.

Anyone have any ideas before I have to resort to the sawzall? Thanks.

MelWff

have you tried having someone push down on the right side while you pull the latch on the left?

LT2300

Yes. My son and I tried a number of maneuvers, iincluding that.

The funny thing is that I had only moved it about 1/4" from the last position in which it popped. Then when it didn't pop, I thought I was in the pink -- until I got home and made my discovery.

pws69

When I got mine originally, the hood latches weren't even on. I spend hours working on it and finally got the whole thing down - so perhaps I can help!

What exactly did you adjust so far?

stacka

I will be watching this thread with great interest as i have a similar problem in that the bonnet won't stay down when you hit a bump in the road. I have spent some time playing with the adjustments and one thing I have discovered is it seems to be a very fine line a few times when playing with the adjustments i have the bonnet stayng put but not being able to release it then having to get under and undo the bonnet hinges to release it.

LT2300

Reply to both PWS69 & Stacka. First, glad to hear the observation about the bonnet hinge bolts, so I won't have to resort to the sawzall.

Most of the adjustments have been just moving the strike point assemblies on the firewall through two dimensions, trying to find something that worked. Got the left set up, I think, but was still having trouble with the right. Must have moved it 15 times. I was carrying a ratchet, extension and 1/2" socket with me. When it popped, I'd stop somewhere, adjust and move on. Pop, stop, adjust. That was the entire four-day weekend.

I'd said Sunday earlier, but it was Monday that I discovered I couldn't open it.

Anyway, On Sunday night I'd thought about adjusting the closing limiter (rubber-capped flat head screw next to the latch). Thought that maybe too much up-and-down movement was allowing it to unlatch. Adjusted that upward, too much -- couldn't get it to latch. Backed it off nearly all I'd moved it up and it latched, seeming snugger, and opened OK. Out driving Monday, still with tools, and did the same thing. Pop, stop, adjust. Most of the time I'd also check that it would unlatch, but the last time I didn't. Drove around for a good hour, over several good-sized bumps (not on purpose, but there are plenty around). Never popped, so thought I was home free. When I did get home, discovered it wouldn't unlatch on the right.

Hadn't thought about the hood (bonnet) hinge bolts. Fairly confident I'll be able to get it to unlatch if I loosen them enough to allow some movement. I'll take them (and the hood) off as a last resort. Fortunately I have clear scribe marks for the alignment, so it won't be a huge pain realigning.

Thanks. Was tunnel-visioning right past the mount bolts. Wasn't really considering the sawzall, but was pretty stumped. Still don't know where to locate the strike assemblies. Never had this problem with the original hood. Probably more stop, pop, adjust in my future.

Thanks, all. Still open for adjustment ideas, if anyone has any.

pws69

Well, the attached is a bit long winded, very ****, and, well, loony - but I was VERY frustrated! This was what finally worked for me. Captured it all here from memory - didn't even walk out to the garage to see if I said anything stupid!! It was targeting the OP, which is where the embedded comments came from!

It will give you something to think about at least!

I hope it helps someone!

http://www.speakeasy.org/~pws/Corvet...ment - PWS.pdf

LT2300

Your link took me to

http://www.speakeasy.net/main.php?error=404

The last part of that url, "error=404" pretty much explains what I found. Broken link? I don't subscribe to Speakeasy, if that matters.

pws69

Hmm, should work. Try this one (you may have to stuff it into your URL bar):

"www.speakeasy.org/~pws/Corvette_Hood_Alignment.pdf"

68thumper

link does not work....I too need a fix...

69 Chevy

Here's that link's instructions:

C3 Hood alignment can be a miserable experience! If either one of your “teepee's” are misaligned with the latch centers as little as about 1/16th, it will not allow release. So, now you have 2 problems –
stuck latch, and misalignment.
To solve the first one, I ended up doing the following (last resort as NOTHING else worked):
1. Protect the hood edge! 1” masking tape attached to edge of the perimeter of the hood (slide it
down into the gap) to protect the hood and fender edges. Do the same to the fenders and front
surround.
2. Loosen the hood hinge bolts. I was able to reach up inside (holes under the grilles) and loosen
all 4 hood hinge bolts. Just loose enough so you can move it a little in 4 directions.
3. Gently - move the hood around while pulling it up – go slow, don't pull it up too much, and pay
attention to what direction you pushed or pulled it to finally release it. You may want to move
that “teepee's” latch the opposite direction - the same amount you moved the hood when it
released! DO NOT open the hood any more than a few inches yet – loose bolts to deal with!
4. With the hood closed so the “teepee's” are resting on the latches (this should tell you if it is
close), reach up and tighten one hinge bolt on each side. Now open the hood up.
Now that the hood is open, you need to get things adjusted so you can close and open it. If you only
adjusted on side one, then you MIGHT be able to adjust the same latch back the same distance
mentioned in step 3. This IS shaky and you might end up at #2 again!
Full alignment (hood still open):
1. Note (measure from tip of “teepee” to hood) how far the “teepee's” are screwed in (I might add
here that I suspect yours are screwed in too far in relation to the stop bumpers causing your
original problem!)
2. Remove BOTH “teepee's” from the hood. Close the hood.
3. Check alignment (gaps) and adjust until all are good
4. Open up the hood and tighten all 4 hinge bolts.
5. Close the hood and check the depth the hood is in relation to the fender at the cowl. Adjust the
stop bumpers until you have the depth you want all around (there will likely be small
compromises)
Now the hood is aligned and tight. Time to tackle the latch alignment
1. Make note of the latch configuration so you have an idea how the “teepee” enters – note the
FIXED side of the hole – this is the side that the “teepee” must clear freely.
2. Put masking tape over the holes
3. Draw a circle the size of the “teepee” max diameter on each latch with the edge of the circle
touching (aligned with) the FIXED edge of the hole (clearance)
4. Draw a “crosshair” centered on the circle – this is where the “teepee” points need to hit later –
VERY thin Sharpie is best as is a straightedge – you want small, precise - but legible - lines.
5. Reinstall the “teepee's” - screw them in so they are exposed at least1/4” LONGER than
measurement taken in “Full Alignment” #1 – we will adjust the final hood height last.
6. Put something on the very center of the tip of each “teepee” that will easily transfer to the tape
in the latches
7. Close the hood until the tips of the latches make a mark on the circles
8. Adjust until you hit the centers of the bullseyes – remember, clearance for the fixed side
9. Adjust your cables again – they do stretch a little initially so at least check them. You MIGHT
want to hook a cheater rope/wire to the right side latch that you can pull from the left side.
10. Now that you have the latches centered and cables adjusted, give it a try! If you have been
anally precise, it should work. If it doesn't is SHOULD be very close such that movement
should shake it loose.
11. If the right side doesn't release with the latch but does with the cheater, then it is likely a cable
thing rather than latch.
12. Once you get all the latching kinks straightened out, you need to make the final adjustment to
the “teepee's” to bring your hood to the right height.
13. Because we adjusted the bumpers initially, we already know the hood will sit at the right height
when we let it contact the bumpers
14. Adjust the “teepee” depth slowly until the hood is at the same height we set it to with the
“teepee's” removed. Too far, and the latch will pop open when going down the road!
15. You should be able to latch each side pushing down with slight pressure against the bumpers –
you want the hood to be latched with just a little pressure on the hood bump stops.

68thumper

Awesome...thank you!

pws69

Sorry for the unusable link, folks. I wanted to do it in a pdf so you get a nice printout if you needed one. The link worked for me, even at a computer that doesn't "know" me. (you need to paste everything BETWEEN the quotes into your browser).

Well, thanks for posting the content while I was distracted by work.....

If anyone wants the pdf, send me a PM and I'll email it to you.

LT2300

Got it unlatched. Reaching the hinge mount bolts was a little interesting (I added a VintageAir AC whlie the front end was off, and the accumulator is right there), but not as bad as I anticipated. Loosening bolts and a slight shift allowed it to unlatch.

Followed the steps (a couple of push pins with the plastic ground down to a screwdriver-like tip was a great latch pin center marker). Everything works, but I haven't driven it yet, so the proof is yet to come.

Given the way the latch pins were adjusted before, I'm inclined to think that may have been a big part of the popping problem. We'll see. I'll update this string one last time when I've had a chance to drive it and be sure.

Thanks, again, to all.

Related to pictures, someone tried to explain how to do that in the past, but I encountered the same sort of problem I did with speakeasy and never could figure out how. I'd love to post the "after" along with a couple of "before." Marty at Midwest Corvette did just a superb job. If someone can tell me how, I'll post.

69 Chevy

There are shims to adjust the height of the “teepee” along with putting a screwdriver in the slot and screwing them looser or tighter.

pws69

Shims?????

No shims - the height is "locked" by the big lock nut/spring seat on the bottom of the "teepee".

I will note that when I did the writeup, I had the "teepee" and latch orientation wrong in my mind - but everything is the same, just that the "teepees" are mounted to the body and the latches are on the hood.

Sahaus

I had the same issue with a L-88 hood, I found that after the 4th time taking the hinge bolts out, I just put one back on each hinge. Took my son and a buddy 4 hours to get it adjusted just right.

LT2300

I had caught the gist of it, despite the flopped orientation of the conical strike pin and the release, and was aware of the screw adjustment. Once the lock nut is loosened, it's very easy to adjust the strike pin, then lock it when the height is right.

As I said yesterday, everything works fine statically -- clean open and close. I just need to drive it to see what happens when it takes a jolt.

Most sincere thanks, again, to everyone who pitched in.

Photo posting, anyone?

69 Chevy

That's exactly where the shims go, under the teepees where they mount to the firewall. At least, both sides of mine have them. And so they provide another means of fine tuning.

JW3101

Here ya go! http://forums.corvetteforum.com/help...tep-guide.html